Building covering



K A L B R E BUILDING COVERING Filed Jan. 12, 1938 5 Shams-Sheet fzw'emzor. Ida/evil. =5 Za i Sheets-Sheath? Filed Jan 12, 1958 July 4', 1939. E. R. BLACK BUILDING COVERING Filed Jan. 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 "T. t: r.

Ila @5201? TQZ. B 540/8 July 4, 1939. E. R. BLACK BUILDING COVERING Filed Jan. 12, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 awcew 222M 61 l atented July 4, 1939 invention relates building eoverings,- .veather-prooi sheathing app to roots and exterior walls for protection against the weather an for decorative purposes.

. widely used variety of such sheathing-ire quently and herein referred to as prep "ed roofing-consists of a fiexi le asphaltum inipregnatecl paper stool: or felt sheet which is covered by a layer of asphalt, or other similar suitable material, and often surfaced with granumaterial for purposes of decoration and additional protection.

zluch roofing material is applied or laid in urdts.

which may take the form of individual or multiple shingles or long strips. Because of the inherent flexibility oi the material it is highly desirable to anchor the units near the exposed edges or butts so as to keep them from being blown up and torn or broken by the wind. it is also highly desirable that metallic anchorages-usually nailsused to hold down the exposed edges or hutts be unexposed to sun and weather. The undesirable and injurious results flowing from exposed anchorage nails are too well known to require repetition and for years various forms of units, arrangements and methods of laying. for covering and concealing the butt anchorage nails, have been proposed and used.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved building covering.

Another object is to provide a simple and easily manufactured and applied covering unit for ef-= fectively covering and concealing the butt anohorage nails.

A further object is to provide a unit that readily lends itself to a method of application wherein the roof or wall may be covered progressively in a direction the reverse of that heretofore employed, e. g., on a roof from ridge to cave instead of from eave to ridge.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

l is a plan view a portion of a roof or side wall of a building, showing the improved units formed for conventional laying to produce the well-known hexagonal appearance;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top planopen or unfolded-oi a hexagonal shingle such as may be used to produce the effect shown in Fig. i;

Fig. i is a plan of a strip of prepared roofing material showing how such units may be oncetively cut therefrom;

a pl n view a portion of a r301 or a g, showing another conveneffect;

of a slungle used to produce ice" the eofect shown in I, p

t l shows how these units may be effectively cut rrorn strips of prepared roofing stock;

8 is a front elevation of a portion of he building side wall covered with my improved units, formed and figured simulate brick wo'rl;

"Fi 9 a front vlewoperi or unfolded-s at a n unit suitable to produce the effect shown covered with a modified form of unit to simulate brick work;

Fg. ii is a perspective view-open or unioldecl-oi the unit used in i0;

12 is a plan "new of a portion or a roof showing how shingle emits incorporating the features oi this invention may he laid from ridge to eave, rather than in the heretofore universally conventional method of laying them from save to ridge;

Fig. 13 is a plan view-open or unfolded-o1"- a unit suitable for this method of laying a building covering, and v Fig. is is a plan view of the unit shown in Fig.

folded and ready for application.

In general, my improved covering unit comprises a body portion, the lower part of which is exposed, and a turned-under portion along the exposed or butt edge of the unit; the body portion being provided with an opening or recess through which the shank and head of an anchoring nail may be driven to pass the shank through the underlying turned-back portion (which forms the anchorage strip) and into the building framework without necessitating any distortion or alteration (such as unfolding) of the unit; and after the nails are driven through the anchorage strip the heads thereof, which up to this time are exposed through the recess in the hoey portion, are covered and eliectively masked by pieces or strips of roofing material slipped into. place between the body and turned-under por tion hehindthe recess of the body portion and in front of and over the nail head lying against the under-turned portion.

Referring first to Fig. l, the section of building covering therein shown illustrates the conventional laying (e. g., from eave to ridge) of my improved units in hexagonal shape and the general appearances of the covering when so laid.

g. 10 is a iront view of a portion of a wall ture can collect.

In general, the shingle units are arranged on the building wall or roof to be covered in the usual way,horizontally aligned to form courses, the units of all courses except the first and last overlapping the upper portions of preceding course units and being in turn partly overlapped by the lower portions of units in succeeding courses. Beginning at the bottom or eave, the laying proceeds course upon course until the top or ridge is reached. Thus, for example, the shingles forming a horizontal course A have their tips overlapped by the butts of shingles in the higher course C and, in turn, the tips of shingles in the course B are overlapped by the butts of shingles in the next higher course D. Of course, some of the upper portions of the units in course A' are overlapped by lower portions of units in course B, and upper portions of units in course B are overlapped by portions of units in course C, etc.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, each shingle unit has a body portion 5 and a turnedor folded-under portion 6 adjacent the butt edge. The turned-under portion 6, as will be hereinafter described, forms an anchor or nailing strip through which a nail may be driven into the underlying building framework to anchor down the butt. The body portion is provided with an opening 1 therethrough so as to expose from the front a small area of the underturned portion or nailing strip for the purpose of permitting the shank and the head of a nail to be driven therethrough from the front side of the unit.

Although the nail-receiving opening through the shingle body portion may be variously located in the butt region in front of the nailing strip, I prefer to locate it adjacent the fold and form it to extend into the fold uniting the body and turned-under portions, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. By locating the nail-receiving opening in this relation to the fold, the fold is, in effect, removed for the width of the opening and does not form a pocket therebelow in which mois- This opening, which needs be only large enough to accommodate the head of the anchoring nail and permit the nail to be driven home until its head comes tightly against the anchoring strip 6 without the face of the unit body portion being damaged, is preferably, as indicated in Fig. 3, formed before the unit is folded. Then the unit is folded back along the line a-b indicated in Fig. 3, so that the anchor strip 6 lies quite tightly behind and substantially parallel to the body portion 5.

Because of the fact, as will be presently explained, that the units do not need to be opened or unfolded during the process of laying and anchoring them, they may be folded at the factory while warm and under conditions and with machinery that will insure a straight, clean and undamaging fold. And since the line of fold forms the extreme butt edge of a unit and there are two thicknesses of material at that region, the units not only present an appearance of depth and thickness of exposure, but they are, as a matter of fact, reinforced and especially strong in the region of the extreme butt edge where the greatest strain comes from the action of the wind, etc.

When such a shingle has been placed in its position on the roof or wall, the butt edge is anchored down by a nail 8 applied from the front to the anchor strip 8 through the opening I in the body portion and the nail can be driven home from the front by a hammer or other suitable tool, until the head tightly engages and clamps down the anchor strip. Then to complete the unit a small closure in the form of a piece of suitable material 9 is slipped in between the body and turned-under portions, as indicated at the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1, and pushed along and down into the apex of the fold until it completely blocks the nail-receiving opening of the body portion and covers and conceals the head of the anchoring nail which was applied therebehind through the anchor strip. It may be necessary, if the body and anchor strip portions are pressed very tightly together slightly to separate them,for example, by slightly raising the body portion after the anchor strip has been nailed down--in order easily and quickly to position the closure piece. However, since such bending on the job needs be only a few degrees, it will not injure the unitat the fold or elsewhere-even in cold weather. Preferably the closure pieces are of the same material, color and finish as the shingles so that when they are in position to block the nail-receiving openings and cover the heads of the butt anchorage nails, they will effectively mask the openings and the fact that there are openings through the exposed shingle body portions will be hardly noticeable. It will be unnecessary to anchor the closure pieces in position behind the body portion, because the normally close relation between the anchor strip and body portion and the adhesiveness of the asphalt will prevent their displacement. Displacement will be further guarded against if, as is usually the case, one surface of the closure piece is coated with granular material to match the exposed surface of the shingle. After the masking pieces are inserted, the upper or tip region of each unit may, if desired, be anchored down by nails driven therethrough above the line of overlap of the units constituting the next higher course.

As an aid in retaining the units in place, to obviate undue thickness of the covering in the butt regions and in order to facilitate the proper positioning of the units to insure uniformity of design, various arrangements may be used. For example, each side edge may be formed with small triangular projections l0 and the upper edge may be formed with a notch or recess ii, which preferably is of the same length horizontally as the outer edge of the anchor strip 6. With the units in this form the projections Ill of adjacent units of a course form, in effect, a socket or crotch into which the turned-under anchor strip of the intermediate unit of the next higher course will fit. Such interfitting of'units in successive courses prevents the anchor strips of the units of one course from lying upon the units of the preceding course and thereby not only improves the appearance of the roof when finished, but also serves to aid in the proper positioning of units and in keeping them in place.

Fig. 4 shows how such units may be conveniently cut from sheets of roofing material with but little waste.

In applying the covering or sheath, the laying of these units proceeds upwardly in the conventional way from bottom to top (e. g., from eave to ridge). As the succeeding units of each horizontal course are laid, the butts thereof are securely and tightly anchored down to the building by driving nails, from the front side, through the openings '1 until the nail heads are inside of the plane of the rear surface of the body portions and tightly against-perhaps even slightly embedded into-the underlying turned-under portions 6. Next, the masking or covering pieces 9 are inserted between the body portions and anchor strips and shoved into the apices of the folds until the openings are completely backed and the nail heads masked thereby. Then the tip of each unit in the course may, if desired, be anchored down by driving nails therethrough in the regions that will be covered by the units of the succeeding course. Many times such tip anchoring nails will be unnecessary, because the butt anchoring nails of the higher courses pass through the tips 'of the units of lower courses. After one course is thus laid, the units of the next higher or succeeding course are similarlylaid and anchored down; and this procedure is continued until the entire roof or wall is covered.

Fig. 5 illustrates the conventional sequence of laying units to produce another typical design (inverted T) Fig. 6 shows a suitable unit for this purpose; and Fig. 7 illustrates how such units may be cut from sheet roofing material.

Looking first at Fig. 6, each unit has a body portion I5 and a turned-under portion l6 forming an underlying anchor strip. The body portion has a hole or recess I! which, preferably as previously described, extends into the fold line (1-1) between the body and turned-under portions. Each unit is completed by a masking piece H! (see Fig. 5) inserted between the body and turned-under anchoring portions to cover the head of the butt anchoring nail l8. Preferably the anchoring strip I6 is made somewhat narrower than the butt edge of the unit and its lateral edges 22-23 arefiared outwardly. And the upper edge of the unit is provided with a recess 2! which is complementary to the anchor strip l6, while the lateral edges have small notches 20 cut therein.

In laying units of this shape in the conventional manner (i. e., with the units of adjacent courses staggered), the anchor strips of units of one course lie between the lateral edges of units in the preceding course and the notches 20 of adjacent units in the same course may receive the outer corners of the anchor strips 16 of the intermediate overlapping units of the next higher course. Thus, the interfitting of the anchor strips with the lateral edge notches of units of the preceding course serves to prevent the anchor strips of the units of one course from lying upon the unit of the preceding course, helps in placing the units in proper position relative to others, and provides a covering of better appearance and more substantial construction.

Fig. '7 shows how units of this shape may be cut from sheet roofing with little waste. The recess or notch 2| in the upper edge of the unit, which results from the removal of material to form the anchor strip of another unit-is not objectionable because, when units are laid, the upper portions are sufficiently overlapped and covered by the butt portions of units in higher courses.

Fig. 8 shows how units, preferably in the form of strips, may be laid tosimulate the appearance of courses of brick work. Fig. 9 shows a satisfactory form in which such units may be produced.

Referring first to Fig. 9, which shows the unit unfolded as it is cut from sheet material, there is a body portion 25 and an anchor portion 26,

which is folded back along the line a-b to lie closely under or behind the body portion. Body portion 25 has openings or recesses 21 out therein adjacent the line of mm, such recesses or openings being, as heretofore described, for the purpose of permitting nails to be applied from the front through the anchor portion without actual- 1y passing through or touching the body portion. The number and spacing of such nail-receiving openings in the body portions of the units can be varied as conditions may require or seem to render advisable.

In order to simulate brick work the outer or what will be the exposed surface of the body portion may be provided with a horizontal stripe 30 of a width and color to look like a layer of mortar. Similar vertical stripes 3| simulate the up and down mortar fillings. These colored stripes may be provided in various ways, such as by printing, painting or embossing, or by any other suitable process,preferably during the fabrication of the sheet stock before units are out therefrom. As I prefer to make the unit, a nail-receiving opening 21 is provided through the body portion at the lower or fold end of each mortar simulating stripe 3| thereon, and of substantially the same width as the stripe. The purpose of so locating and proportioning the nail-receiving recesses will presently appear.

In order that horizontally aligned units may be effectively fitted together, I prefer to make the lateral edges complementary to each other. Thus, the edge 32 is stepped inwardly and includes an edge recess 21' whereas the edge 33 is stepped outwardly andincludes an edge recess 21". A

mortar simulating stripe 3|, which is of the same width as the partial recess 21' and consequently narrower than the full stripe, extends upwardly from the edge recess 21'. A similar narrow stripe 3|" extends upwardly from the edge recess 21" Now, when two such units are placed end 'to end, the right-hand end of one fits into or dovetails with the left-hand end of the other and the partial or edge recesses .21'-2|" of abutting units form together a recess or nail-receiving opening of full width like those in the intermediate regions of the body portion. Similarly, the complementary partial mortar simulating strips 3I'--3l" of 'adjacent units form a full width vertical mortar simulating stripe.

Units of this type are completed by applying nail-masking strips or pieces 29 between the body and anchor portions behind the openings through the body portions and over the heads of the nails driven through the anchor portions. By making the front or exposed surface of such masking pieces or strips of the same color and material as the mortar simulating stripes on the body portion, they will, when positioned, complete or fill in the vertical stripes where the same were interrupted by the nail-receiving recesses and the simulation of brick work will be completed. Although the masking elements may be provided in the form of small pieces only somewhat larger than the nail-receiving recesses through the body portion, I prefer to provide them inthe form of long strips.

Units of this type are laid in the same manner as previously described. The units of one course overlap those of the preceding course so that the overlying butt edge comes at least down to the top edge of the horizontal stripe. Where two units of a course come together, two nails should be applied through the opening formed by the complementary edge recesses, one nail being driven into the corner of the anchor strip of each unit. Both of these nails will, of course, be covered by the masking units in precisely the same way as the nails passed through the other body recesses are covered.

Figs. and 11 show another form for units constructed and colored to simulate brick work. 55 In this unit there is provided a body portion and a turned-back underlying anchor strip 3&5. I this construction the nail-receiving recesses the body portion are p. .ided by slots hich from the upper or p edge down to fold The horizontal IO ar simustripe is located along ad acent in this instance the masking Strip enough to underlie the slots t eir length. After the butt anchoring nails have as previously dethe masking pieces are inserted between the body and anchoring portions. the exposed aces of these masking strips colored and to simulate mortar, the part exposed the nail-receirdng recesses will provide the simulation of the vertical mortar fillings of work, The units hereinbeiore described are ty,ical oi those adapted for laying in the heretofore accepted manner; that is, in courses succeeding each other from the bottom upwardly. I shall now describe a unit which typifies those that lend themselves to laying in the opposite direction;

i. e., in courses succeeding each other from the 30 top downwardly. And so far as I am aware, i am the first to propose a unit that may be laid in this reverse manner and afford adequate protection against entrance of moisture.

The laying of building covering units in courses 5 from the top downwardly (e. g., from ridge to eave) presents an advantage over the present standard method which is of decided importance. That advantage is this: It is unnecessary for the workman to work upon and over the part that has been covered. Thus, in laying roofing in the heretofore conventional manner, the workman always has the completed work under and behind him. He must stand, kneel or lie upon, and supplies reach him over, the finished portion of the roof. If he requires cleats and so forth to hold him and his supplies, they must be nailed through roofing that is already laid. There is always the hazard that the covering will be damaged,--particularly when it is composed of relatively tender material such as prepared roofing.

On the othe hand, by laying units in the opposite direction, the workman can always have uncovered roof beneath I-Ee can stand, lie and kneel upon and have his supplies passed over what is to be covered rather than what has been covered. Usually the parts uncovered can remain unrnolested. The hazard of accidental injury during the progress of laying the covering will b greatly reduced.

" 'olded unit, as it -s cut from the sheet coil, is shown in Fig. 13; Fig. i l shows the ole-ed with a masking strip interposed betweethe body and anchor portions.

again, the unit has a body portion =35 a5 and an anchoring portion QB,the latter lo eing turned under along the fold line a-b. The edge defined by the fold a-o constitutes the exposed or butt edge of the unit. In this instance 1 provide two nail-receiving openings 41 through the body portion,one near each lateral edge thereof. The upper portion of the unit is tapered inwardly so that for a considerable distance below its upper or tip edge the width is less than the spacing between the nail-receiving openings.

This arrangement permits lower course units to be applied after upper course units have been positioned and nailed at the butts and still permit the tips of units in lower courses to be inserted underneath the preceding course units to afford adequate protection against entrance of moisture, as will be presently explained.

Fig. 12 illustrates the laying of such. u a direction from the top downwardly ample, the units of a top course are tionecl and secured in place by nails through their body portions near the tips. the units of the next lower course E are positioned in staggered relation to the units of course D. lhis is done by first inserting their tips benits low the butts oi the D course units and then pushing them upwardly below the 3 course units until they are S lfiiClElltlf] overlapped by the 3 course units. When a unit of the course has been. thus located in the desired position, the

butts of the overlapping units in the D course A are anchored down by nails applied through its nail-receiving recesses and driven through the anchoring strip into the building framework in precisely the same manner as hereinbefore described. These nails, which anchor down the butts or" the D course units, pass through the upper covered tip portions of the units in the E course and thus serve to hold the E course units in place until the units of the F course have been positioned. After the butt anchoring nails have been applied to a unit of D course, the small masking piece 49 is inserted between the body and turned-under anchoring portions and pushed into place until it covers the nail heads and completely masks the openings through the body thereof.

After the E course units have been secured at their tips by the butt anchoring nails of the D course units, then the F course units are positioned in precisely the same way as was explained for the E course units; and when they are positioned, the butts of the E course units may be nailed down and the nails and recesses masked as previously explained. These butt nails of the E course units pass through the tip portion of the F course units so that they will be held while units of the G course are positioned. This procedure continues until the whole roof or wall is covered. By tapering the tip portions of the units, as previously described, the units may be pushed upwardly under overlying units until the tips lie between the butt anchoring nails of units and underneath the butt portions or" units in the second course thereabove, i. e., the second preceding course, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 12, and insure adequate lap and covering underneath the junction of the butt edge of units of one course and the space between adjacent units of the next lower course. Of course, as

will be obvious, there is not sufficient space above to enable the units in the top two courses-e. g., the two courses immediately below the roof ridge-to have their tip portions thus positioned underneath units in a second course thereabove because, as to them, there is no second course thereabove. Adequate protection at the ridge, however, can be attained by employing the usual ridge strips.

Having thus illustrated and described the nature and several embodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A building covering unit comprising a body portion; an anchoring portion turned under the body portion at one edge thereof, said body portion having a recess therethrough to the underlying anchor portion through which recess a nail may be applied through'the anchor portion into the building framework without altering the normal relative positions of the body and anchor portions; and a nail-concealing unit for application between the body and anchor portions behind the recess in the body portion to cover the nail.

2. A building covering unit comprising a body portion; an anchor portion folded under the body portion along one edge thereof, said body portion having a recess therein which is backed by the anchor portion and through which a nail may be applied from the front of the unit and driven through the anchor portion into the buildin framework, said recess extending to the fold between the body and anchor portions; and a nailconcealing piece insertable between the body and A anchor portions to mask the recess through the body portion and cover any nail driven through the anchor portion back of the recess.

8. The method of applying building covering units in staggered and overlapping and underlapping relation which consists in starting the positioning of theunits at the top and progressing downwardly toward the bottom of the area to be covered, and applying anchorage means through the units into the building framework, some of said anchorage means passing through temporarily exposed areas of upper units and.

between the body and anchor portions to cover the fastening means.

5. A building covering unit comprising a body portion. and an. underlying anchor por termed by folding a sheet of roofing material along a line, said line of fold constituting the U butt edge of the unit and the body portion having an opening therethrough in front of the underlying ancho p r ion. s i Opening vin t permit a nail to be driven from the front through only t e n hor p rti n; and na v rl s piece for applic tion etw n the b dy and ans chor p rtions, beh id he Opening thr ugh e bo y portion. to mask a nai iven hr u h the anchor portion behind the opening in the anchor portion.

6-, A building covering consisting of a plurality of overlapping units, each unit comprising a body portion and an under-turned anchor portion wherein the anchor portion has a part exposed through the body portion for the application of anchoring means therethrough into the building framework; anchoring means applied through the exposed parts of the anchor portions of the units into the building framework; and con.- eeaii g app ied betw en he body n em chor portions over the anchoring means to cover the same.

'7. The method of laying in vertically overlapping horizontal courses building covering units having upper tip portions which are covered by units in preceding courses and lower butt portions which are exposed after the units are laid, t

until such tip portions of units in all courses ex-' cept the top two courses lie underneath butt portions of units of the second preceding course, and anchoring the tip portions of the units by nails applied through the exposed butt portions of units in the next preceding course.

3. The. method of laying in vertically overlapping horizontal courses building covering units having upper tip portions which are covered by uiits of preceding courses and lower butt portions which are exposed after the units are laid, such method consisting in applying the units to form the courses succeeding each other from the top downwardly, the tip portions of all units in courses except the top two courses lying underneath butt portions of units in the second preceding course, and anchoring the tip portions of the units by nails applied through the butts of units of the immediately preceding course.

9. The method of laying in vertically overlapping horizontal courses building covering units having upper tip portions which are covered by units of preceding courses and lower butt portions which are exposed after the units are laid, such method consisting in applying the units to form the courses succeeding each other from the top downwardly, the tip portions of all units in courses except the top two courses lying underneath butt portions of units in the second preceding course, anchoring the tip portions of the units by nails applied through the butts of units of the immediately preceding course, and masking the heads of the nailsafter they have been thus applied.

10. The method of laying in vertically overlapping horizontal courses building covering units having upper tip portions which are covered by units in preceding courses and lower butt portions which are exposed after the units are laid, such method consisting in applying the units to form courses succeeding each other from the top downwardly, inserting the tip portions of units constituting one course underneath the butt portions of units forming the next and second preceding courses until such tip portions of units in all courses except the top two courses lie underneath butt portions of units of the second preceding course, and anchoring the tip portions of the units constituting a horizontal course by nails applied therethrough above the line of permanent exposure.

EDWARD R. BLACK. 

